(Vatican Radio) “Where there is a wall, there is closure of the heart. We need bridges, not walls!” Those were the Pope’s words on Sunday from the window of the Papal studio above St Peter’s Square where he recalled the Fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9 th 1989.
Following the recitation of the Angelus prayer and on the 25 th anniversary of this momentous event in history, Pope Francis described the wall as a symbol of the ideological division of Europe and the world which for so long had cut the city of Berlin in two.
Listen to Lydia O’Kane’s report
The Holy Father went on to say that “the fall happened suddenly, but it was made possible by the long and arduous efforts of many people who had fought for this, prayed and suffered, some even sacrificing their lives. “These include”, he added, “ a leading role played by Saint Pope John Paul II.
Pope Francis then prayed that, with God’s help, all men and women of good will would continue to spread a culture of encounter, with the aim of bringing down all the walls that still divide the world. He also prayed that there would be no more killing and persecution of the innocent and of those killed because of religious beliefs.
Before the Angelus the Pope remembered the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, saying, “it is the cathedral of Rome, the one that tradition calls “the mother of all the churches of the city and the world.”
Every time we celebrate the dedication of a church, the Pope stressed, we recall the essential truth that this material temple made of bricks is a sign of a Church that is alive and active, that of a “spiritual temple,”…
He added, “this spiritual edifice, the church community of men sanctified by the blood of Christ and by the Spirit of the Risen Lord asks each of us to be consistent with the gift of faith and take a journey of Christian witness.” This, the Pope said “is not easy.”
Pope Francis concluded that this feast invites us “to meditate on the communion of all the Churches,” and that this Christian community, by its similarity encourages us to strive so that mankind can overcome barriers of hostility and indifference to build bridges of understanding and dialogue, to make the world a whole family of peoples reconciled with each other, and fraternal solidarity.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has encouraged the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians to be prophetic witnesses and to widen their gazes to recognize the most authentic and urgent needs of a generation that is changing. The sisters, whose mission is among the young and the poor, were founded by Saint John Bosco and Saint Maria Domenica Mazzarello and are more commonly known as the Salesian Sisters On Saturday, Pope Francis met with those sisters who are in Rome for the institute’s General Chapter. In addition to electing their new General Council, the Chapter also served to reflect on the institute’s mission and to draw new lines for pastoral action. The Pope encouraged the sisters to move ahead with their new orientations, which include transforming their houses into environments for evangelization, implementing paths for change and pastoral conversion, and forming young people to become evangelizers of other youth. He also encouraged them to sustain their lives with prayer, adoration and the Word of God. With regard to their mission among the young, the Pope urged the sisters to “be everywhere a prophetic witness and educative presence through an unconditional welcome of the young…and individuating paths to render (their) apostolic interventions effective in a context…permeated by the virtual world and new technologies.” Speaking of the sisters’ call to witness to community, he also warned them of what he termed the “terrorism” affecting religious life—gossip. “Never should you permit envy and jealousy among you,” he said, adding: “Gossip is a bomb” that destroys community. He encouraged the sisters toward continuing formation and education in order to help in their mission. Finally, he exhorted the sisters to “be missionaries of joy, witness to the values that are proper to (their) Salesian identity, particularly the value of encounter,” describing the latter as “a spring” from which they “can draw that love that revitalizes that passion for God and for the young”. The Pope concluded, urging the sisters to turn to their founders for inspiration when faced with the inevitable difficulties of the mission. Report by Laura Ieraci (from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis greeted a group of Italian adult scouts today at Paul VI Hall, encouraging them on their “path” of formation. In his message, the Holy Father encouraged them to continue on the “path” of scouting, a term that describes the formative dimension of the movement. He outlined three paths: family, creation, and the city.
Listen to the report by Andrew Summerson:
“All vocations take their first steps in the family…a movement such as yours, based on continuing education…for you, Christian parents, the educational mission finds its source in the sacrament of marriage, in which the raising of children constitutes a true ministry in the Church”, he said.
Pope Francis also encouraged the group to continue the on path in the care of creation, saying that “ecological question is vital for the survival of man. It has a moral dimension that affects everyone, so no one can be disinterested in the question”.
Pope Francis asked them to continue on paths in the city. “Living in the city you are asked to be the leaven in the dough, offering a sincere contribution to realize the common good”.
Finally, Pope Francis exhorted them to continue their journey, emphasizing that “ your formation as scouts is good training!” Echoing St. Paul, he said Christians train, not like athletes for an ephemeral prize, but to be “a good missionary disciple of the Lord Jesus”.
(from Vatican Radio)…
THE TEMPLE AND WORSHIP In all of today’s readings, the temple is prominently mentioned. Ezekiel speaks of streams of living water flowing out from the temple, watering the desert, bringing life to all living things, offering fresh healing to God’s people. Paul reminds the Corinthians that their faith rests upon the firmest of foundations, Christ…
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Bulletin: November 9, 2014 – The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica